“The scripts for the series are excellent and will absolutely maintain the quality that the audience have come to expect from this fantastic show”
Robert Carlyle has been cast as a guest series lead in the new series of Line of Duty.
The BAFTA-winning actor, known for Trainspotting, The Full Monty and 28 Weeks Later, will play Detective Constable Shaun Massie in the next instalment of Jed Mercurio’s hit crime thriller when it films in Northern Ireland this spring.
Joining returning series leads Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, Carlyle is the first new cast member to be announced for series seven.
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On joining the Line of Duty cast, Robert Carlyle said: “Having been a huge admirer of Jed Mercurio’s work for many years, I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to join such an exceptional cast for series 7 of Line of Duty.
“The scripts for the series are excellent and will absolutely maintain the quality that the audience have come to expect from this fantastic show.
“DC Massie is an extraordinary character and I look forward to bringing him to life.”
As previously announced, in series seven AC-12 have been disbanded and rebranded the Inspectorate of Police Standards.
Anticorruption work has never been more difficult and in this challenging climate Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming, and Ted Hastings are assigned their most sensitive case so far.
Detective Constable Shaun Massie is a Specialist Rifle Officer (SRO), a veteran marksman, operating with Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7) to take down Organised Crime Groups.
A gruff loner, Massie keeps himself to himself, but when his boss, TO-7’s commanding officer DI Dominic Gough, is accused of being a sexual predator, Massie’s otherwise detached demeanour changes drastically.
Creator Jed Mercurio added: “On Line of Duty we’ve been honoured by the glittering guest leads who’ve joined the cast over the years. We couldn’t be more thrilled that Robert Carlyle will star in series 7 as Specialist Rifle Officer Shaun Massie.
“I’ve been a huge fan of Robert’s work for many years and it will be a career highlight to work with him. Robert always brings mesmerising power and depth to every role; I know viewers will be on the edge of their seats wondering what his character will do next, and why.”
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, said: “Sometimes a piece of casting feels so right that you just can’t imagine anyone else. Robert Carlyle is one of our greatest actors and the perfect fit for the phenomenon that is Line of Duty.”
Line of Duty series seven is written and created by Jed Mercurio, who will also direct episodes 4-6. It is made by World Productions, part of ITV Studios, which is handling international distribution.
Jennie Darnell will direct the first three episodes, and the producer is Ken Horn. Executive producers are Jed Mercurio, Simon Heath for World Productions and Nick Lambon for the BBC.
Line of Duty will once again film in Belfast and is made with support from Northern Ireland Screen.
Series 1-6 of Line of Duty are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer. Line of Duty series seven is coming to BBC iPlayer and BBC One next year
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